1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of broadcast data networks, systems for receiving broadcast data and control systems for memory control and data playback.
2. Related Art
Network distribution of content data, particularly those using satellite broadcast, are in wide use for distributing programming for broadcast television, cable television, broadcast “satellite” radio and subscription music services for commercial retail outlets. The content data output at terminals typically includes content of varying types, for example music, and commercial content such as advertisements. Systems for controlling the scheduling, frequency, and distribution to all terminals, groups of terminals, or individual terminals are known, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,895 to Pelkey, incorporated by reference herein.
It is desirable that content data control instructions for the scheduling or rescheduling of content play at an individual terminal be stored at that terminal's receiver/decoder and player equipment. It is also useful that substituted content, for example a new commercial to replace an older commercial, be stored at terminal receiver units. For example, a group of retail outlets may subscribe to a satellite broadcast subscription service that includes the broadcast of music and commercial advertisements. Commercial advertisements for a particular retail chain, particular geographical area or for individual stores may be downloaded from a satellite along with scheduling instructions for interrupting music to play the commercial advertisements on a periodic schedule. If the commercial advertisement is to be changed, or its play schedule is to be changed, it is efficient to download to the retail outlets at which changes are to be executed the new content and/or new instructions so that they can be saved at the retail terminal and played from that terminal.
It is disadvantageous in broadcast networks to lose a signal. Signals may be lost for a wide variety of reasons, such as weather intervening between a broadcasting satellite and receivers, or such as damage to receiving equipment such as satellite dishes or cables. It is desirable that receiving units have a backup memory of content and be able to play that content during periods of time in which a signal is lost. Accordingly, memory for content and control instructions are also useful for purposes of backup play during loss of signal.
Various combinations of controllers and hard drives or controllers and memories, are known for other systems, such as the ATA/IDE standard. However, there is a need in the content data distribution industry for executing these capabilities at reduced costs.
Finally, there is a need in the industry for executing directly downlinked content data play, storing content data, replaying content data according to control instructions and replaying content data backup in response to a loss of signal, in a manner that is imperceptible to the human listener or viewer of the content.